Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-29
CONTAGION IN THE HERDS
THE PLFURO-PNEUMONIA BILL
UNDER A HEAVY FIRE.

Mr.. Swinburne Opens the Assault by a
Hot Charge on the Official Action of
the Agricultural Department En-
pIoyes-Savage Attacks on the COnsti-
tuttonality OF the Measure Follow.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The House to-
day went into committee of the whole,
with Mr.. Blount in the chair, on the
pleuro-pneumonia bill.
MIR. Funston, of Kansas, and Mr.. Con-
ger, of Iowa, favored the bill, and urged
the necessity OF national action to eXtir-
pate the disease, and to prevent its
spreading among the vast cattle herds of
the West.
Mr.. Swinburne, CT New York, opposed
the bill, and while dlsclalmlng any per-
sonal feelings against the officials OF the
Agricultural Department, characterized
the report of the Commissioner upon
pleurO-pneumOnia as unreliable and un-
truthful, and denounced the chief of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry-a WOuld-be
national butcher-as either deceittul or
ignorant.
DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
MIR, Warren, OF Ohio, opposed the
measure, declaring that he had never
huOh IL Dill w niCu St uttCi ~ ~ nOl Gu al
the constitutional limitations of the
general government and 50 completely
trampled upon all State authority. He
believed that any State bad right to re-
sist such legislation, and predicted that
the Supreme Court would never decide it
to be constitutional.
Mr.. McMillen, of Tennessee, argued
that there was no observance of c0nsFi-
tulional rights or constitutional limita-
in nd
of it TO the other, He pro-
tested strongly against that pro-
VISION which he stated permitted agents
OF the Agricultural Department to enter
any mans homestead, and above all law
and above all constitution to range there
at will. While admitting the pOWe OF the
general government to regulate COM
merce, he denounced AS an uncOnstitu-
tional, Oticious intermeddling with the
rights OF ciIizens and States the provision
authorizing the President to quarantine
districts within State.
MADoO's PROTEST.
Mr. McAdoo. of New Jersey, protested
on behalf OF States rights and local self
government a ainst the Federal govern
ment remedying evils over which the
constitution gave it no authority.
MIR. Garry, of Wyoming, thought that the
subject of the extrpatl0n OF pleuro- pneu-
mOnia was one over winch the general
government mist assume Jurisdiction,
and be believed that it had constitutional
power to do so, inasmuch as it was one
with which The State authorities were I'M
able to cope.
Mr. Springer, OF Illinois, made consti-
tutional argument in support of the bill.
Mr.. Buchanan, of New Jersey, favored
ii because he said the farmers wanted it,
all statements to the contrary nOtwith-
standing.
An amendment was adopted making
the salary of the Chief OF the Bureau OF
Animal Industry $4,000,
THE FINANCIAL PART OF IF.
Discussion then arose upon the first
section of the bill. which removes the
limitation upon the number of persons
who may be employed by theCOmmissioner
in carrying out the pleuro-pneumoni act.
Finally, upon motion Of Mr.. Hemphill, of
South Carolina, an amendment was
adopted authorizing the Commissioner to
Employ force within the limits of the
appropriations made by Congress, pro-
vided that no debt against the govern
ment shall be created under the pro-
visions of this bill.
Mr.. Swinburne, of New York, offered an
amendment providing that the lOrce en-
ployed shall include three experts of
scientific attainment and not having
less than SIX years actual eXpe-
rience in, sanitary and pathologca
work, and especially IN the inyestl-
CATION of contagious diseases; and
to aid these experts In their investigation
all necessary aid shall be rendered by the
Commissioner Of Agriculture. The
amendment was adopted.
On motion of MIR. O'Hara, OF North
Carolina. az amendment was adopted re-
quiring the experts provided for in Mr..
Swinburne's amendment to report what
means should be taken to extirpate hog
cholera.
The committee then rose without
further action.